Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello toured parts of New York City on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017, as New York continues to aid Puerto Rico in its recovery after Hurricane Maria.(Photo: Governor's office)

Rosselló toured parts of New York City with the Democratic governor to see how the state recovered after Superstorm Sandy five years ago as the U.S. territory rebuilds after the September hurricane.

Afterwards, Cuomo pledged another 350 utility workers and 220 trucks that will be dispatched this weekend to Puerto Rico, which is still largely without power.

The pair shared their frustration with the federal assistance, saying it has been tied up in a bureaucracy.

"Assume they are making their best faith effort," Cuomo said of the federal government. "The results are terrible. I have never seen these levels of bureaucracy and more importantly, the result is intolerable. You cannot have a situation where people don’t have water for 40 days."

Several factors are at play, Rosselló said: He signed a federal agreement 35 days ago and was assured the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would have most power restored within 40 days.

But he said that hasn't happened. Making the problem worse is the scandal involving Whitefish Energy Holdings, a small Montana firm hired to restore electricity there.

Puerto Rico cancelled the contract last week amid questions over how it was awarded and the company's ability to handle the work. That led Rosselló to enter into mutual-aid agreements with New York and Florida to provide more state resources to the island.

"We signed an agreement. It’s 35 days down the road, and it still hasn’t materialized," he said Thursday of the federal deal. "To me, this is plainly unacceptable. This would not be acceptable anywhere else in the United States, and we needed to look for options."

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President Donald Trump and his administration has defended its response in Puerto Rico, and it has signed off on a $36.5 billion disaster relief package that includes support for the island.

New York has the largest Puerto Rican population in the mainland, and Cuomo has twice visited to provide assistance and bring experts and supplies.

The state's support will be reimbursed through the federal government, Cuomo said. New York has sent National Guard teams, state troopers and energy experts to Puerto Rico.

On Thursday, Cuomo said state agencies, colleges and non-profit groups were working together on a disaster assessment of the island, hoping to rebuild it better than before — similar to steps New York took as it rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy ripped up the state's coastline in the city and Long Island.

"Puerto Ricans are Americans," Cuomo said. "And they should be treated that way, and they are being treated as second-class citizens right now. This is an intolerable situation."